Eden Written September, 2003 by Kat Lai
Copperwood, Alberta sits nestled in a small valley just inside the foothills that begin several kilometres from the Rockies. Like most Alberta towns, it is not a place you would seek out on a road trip, but as you drive through the main streets of the town, you cannot help but be taken in by the picturesque buildings, restored in all their pre-Depression-era beauty. Surrounded by free-range cattle ranches and hay fields, with the odd oil well interspersed within the hills, it stands almost like a beacon from another age - a town where time stood still. So you would think anyway until you noticed the various satellite dishes jutting from the rooftops of the trellised houses and at the small hotel bar just within the town boundaries on the main road. Mary Phipps ran the general store on the corner of Main Street and Cross. A small woman of about 30, she had a quiet air about her and large, sympathetic brown eyes. She usually wore her dark hair pulled back in a pony tail and dressed plainly in a work shirt and black pants. She had been born and raised in Copperwood, like all the town citizens, but was distinguished in that she had gone away to university in Calgary, returning only after the death of her father some three years previous to help her mother with the family business. Because everyone in town had some custom with the store, and because of her sympathetic nature and good advice, Mary soon found herself to be a central figure in the town: a conduit for human grief, and joy, and a confidential receiver of confessions and juicy gossip. Although there was much to do, Mary enjoyed her work and all the people it brought to her. Of all the people in town that passed through her life, however, the one person that stood out the most in her memory was Eden. Eden Winthrop was a tall lanky character, about 6'7" in height, most of which consisted of arms and legs. No one really knew why Josephine Winthrop had taken it in her head to give her only son such an odd name. It was suspected, however, that it had a lot to do with the fact that she had conceived Eden at the age of 45, long after she had given up hope of ever having a child. If her husband ever had any reservations about such a name, he kept them to himself. Josephine ruled her household with an iron fist and a voice like a whip. Though her husband towered over her by more than a foot, he was cowed early into their marriage by her strong personality. Mary first met Eden when she was 17 years old. It was late summer, and she was spending her school vacation helping her father with inventory. On this morning, however, her father was supervising a delivery in the back, so Mary was given the rare opportunity to sit at the till. Josephine Winthrop charged through the door, arms full of shopping bags and towing a little boy of about six years of age behind her. Mrs. Winthrop was not particularly angry; anyone who knew her recognized that she had a kind heart and a generous spirit. They simply acknowledged that her personality was so forceful that when she walked or indeed spoke, her every movement and inflection of voice delivered the impact of several invading armies upon a hapless shore. "Morning, Mary!" barked Mrs. Winthrop, "I'm looking for your mother this morning. She around?" "She has a lunch date with Mrs. Taylor right now, Mrs. Winthrop, but we're expecting her back in around ten minutes," Mary replied cheerfully, "Is there anything I can help you with?" Mrs. Winthrop set down her bags on the counter with a forceful thump. "Not really, dear. I'm looking for shirt patterns, and I know your mother has several I could use. I'll wait for her though, if it's no trouble. Oh, while I'm here, I may as well get a pack of Marlboros for John. Been trying to him get off that filthy habit for years, but it's the one thing he won't listen to me about." Mary got the cigarettes for her and rang them up. As she handed Mrs. Winthrop the change, she eyed the little boy standing quietly by his mother. He was looking gravely at the rows of candy in the front counter display. "Hello there! I don't think we've met before." Serious gray eyes shifted from the candy up to her. He did not reply, but his face reddened as he self-consciously rubbed his nose with his sleeve. "Eden! Stop that at once! You know it's not polite," barked his mother, "Now if someone says hello to you, what do you say?" "'Lo," the boy mumbled. "Eden, you can do better than that, surely!" "That's okay, Mrs. Winthrop," Mary laughed, "I expect he's quite shy." She turned her attention back to the little boy. "Eden's your name, is it? My name is Mary." Eden mumbled something and stuck his hands in his pockets. "I noticed you looking at the Peanut Crunch bars here. Do you like them? They're my favourite." Eden flushed scarlet and looked down at the floor. "Would you like one, Eden? If you like, I'll give you one." Before the boy could react, Mrs. Winthrop swept behind him, hands gripping his shoulders tightly. "Thanks, Mary, but he hates chocolate. Can't stand the stuff, can you, dear? Still, it was nice of you to offer. Say thank you, Eden!" "'Kyou." At that moment, Mary's mother came into the shop, and Mrs. Winthrop descended on her, bags in hand once more. "Ah, Moira, there you are! I need your help. Eden, stay put for two minutes. I'll be right back. Now, Moira, the boy is starting school this September, and I must make some shirts..." The two women disappeared into the back of the store. Mary looked down at Eden who still stood by the counter, hands in his pockets. Although he kept his head bent towards the floor, she noticed his eyes straying cautiously towards the candy display. Silently, she took a Peanut Crunch from the counter and came around front, kneeling down beside the little boy. Eden looked up at her startled. Mary smiled and, putting her finger conspiratorally to her lips, she slipped the candy bar into his pocket. Eden's eyes grew wide as he realized what she was doing. Mary whispered to him, "Come by any time you want, okay? I'm working here after school this year, so I'll be sure to have something for you." She winked. Eden beamed at her and nodded. "Thanks," he whispered back. The smile disappeared faster than a wink as the loud voice of his mother heralded her return, and he went red and clutched at his pocket with its hidden treasure. Mary slipped back behind the counter as Mrs. Winthrop burst from the back room, Moira Phipps trailing behind her. "Thanks ever so much, Moira dear. This is exactly what Eden will need. I'll see you soon! Goodbye, Mary! Eden, come!" Eden trotted to her obediently and together, mother and son swept out the door and on down the street. The store rang with the silence they left behind. Sighing, Moira Phipps went behind the till and sat by her daughter. "Well, I hope that boy will be okay in school." "What do you mean, Mom?" "It's just... Josephine insisted on these dreadfully, well... Those are the collared shirts I usually make for your father. And the pants she's making for him... She seems to think not much has changed since she was in grade school, and well, you know how kids are." "Well, didn't you say something, Mom?" "Oh, I hinted that she might be better off buying at Field's, but they are short on money right now. And she insisted that the clothing there isn't quite... right for school clothes. Oh, dear. I'm afraid... with that quiet nature of his too, and Josephine not letting him go to kindergarten last year... I'm afraid he's going to have a rough time."
	CONTINUED

 

 

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